‘Peaky Blinders’ Dance Production Heads to China as ROYO Expands Asian Footprint

British theater producer ROYO (Room On Your Own) is strengthening its presence in Asia through subsidiary RTS Entertainment, which will present Rambert’s “Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby” to Chinese audiences next year.

The stage adaptation of the popular series follows the Shelby family from World War I battlefields through Birmingham’s post-war landscape. Steven Knight, who created the television show, wrote the script, while Rambert artistic director Benoit Swan Pouffer handled choreography and direction. Roman GianArthur composed original music for the live band, which also performs songs by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Radiohead, Anna Calvi, The Last Shadow Puppets, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

The dance-theater production will tour mainland China during spring 2026, timed to coincide with the renowned dance company Rambert’s 100th anniversary and representing their return to the Chinese market. RTS has now staged five shows in China over the last year and a half, most recently presenting the Olivier-winning “Life of Pi” and Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express.”

“International touring has always been part of Rambert’s DNA: it connects us beyond language, strengthens creative partnerships, and sustains our future at a time when global exchange is not only inspiring, but essential for artistic and financial resilience,” said Helen Shute, CEO of Rambert. “We are truly honored to return in our centenary year, and with the support of Boris and the RTS team, to meet our audiences in China again.”

Boris Cao, CEO of RTS Entertainment, added: “We are very proud to bring Rambert back to China in celebration of their 100th year. Chinese audiences will connect deeply with ‘Peaky Blinders’ universal story of hope and rebirth, just like audiences in the U.K..”

ROYO Group CEO Tom De Keyser revealed continued investment in RTS’s Shanghai operations while attending the current “Murder on the Orient Express” engagement in the city.

“Having RTS within the ROYO Group allows us to provide unparalleled support to British producers and performing arts institutions seeking to export their work to global audiences,” De Keyser said. “Audiences and theaters in China are some of the best in the world, and hold British productions in great esteem, so it continues to be a growing market that we are excited to be working in.”

The Shanghai and London-based RTS Entertainment operates as a production and presentation company within ROYO Group, which encompasses theater production, marketing services and licensing operations across multiple territories.